Device for working buttonholes.



. S. m Y a M E Wm AmamwwnwwuMwwwhf m U .1 T 5 n. A A 0 my w W ma .0464. 4 N mmmmwwmmww w E m B 5 U u J. J. WOODWARD. DEVICE FOR WORKING BUTTONHOLES APPLICATION IILEI? JUNE 8, 1914. 1,126,

WITNESSES:

HE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHGTO-LITHO \VASH/NGTON Dv C4 JOSCELYN J. WOODWARD, 0F MINNEAPOLI$, MINNESOTA.

DEVICE FOR WORKING BUTTONHOLES.

Original application filed February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,782.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 26, 1915.

Divided. and this application filed. June 8,

1914. Seria1N0.84-.3,S18.

T 0 aZZ 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSCELYN J. Wool)- WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in reinforced buttonholes, of which this application is a division.

It is the object of the invention of this application to provide a simple and efficient device capable of being inserted through the slit of the fabric upon which the buttonhole is being formed and held in the hand in such manner that the finger of the operator is protected. and the edges of the slit properly exposed for effective and ready work- The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form- Figures 1, 2 and 3 show different sizes of my improved appliance to be used for the purpose stated. Fig. A; shows the manner of laying the loops when the appliances is employed in connection with the practice of the method of the aforesaid application. Fig. 5 shows the manner of using the device. Fig. 6 shows how my device may be employed to make buttonhole loops.

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, T em ploy flexible strips 10, 11 and 12, which may be made from gutta-percha, celluloid or any similar substance having the requisite degree of flexibility. Each of said strips is provided at one end with a tongue-like portion 13 of which the back edge 14 is continued in a straight line along one edge of the implement. From the base of the tonguelike portion 13 the device has an edge 15 extending obliquely, so that the device becomes progressively wider until terminated in a curved larger end. Strips 10, 11 and 12 are the same in every particular excepting that the tongue portions 13 are progressively increased in width in the respective strips. This, of course, makes the devices successively wider. By this means a strip width will be. provided for any length of buttonhole. The different strips which I have here shown may be employed in making buttonholes from three-sixteenths of an inch to one-andone-half inches in length, It is desirable to mark each of the strips with calibrations and scales indicating the width of buttonhole at any given point along the strip as shown. I do not wish to be limited to any particular number of strips, as a greater or less number may be employed having lengths greater or less than here shown and variations in the lengths of buttonholes may be provided for to a greater or less extent than here indicated. Any one of the members 10, 11 and 12 embodies a device including my invention.

The ordinary use of the device is well illustrated in Fig. 5. The tongue 13 of one of the strips has been inserted downwardly through the buttonhole slit 16 of the fabric, and the fabric and strip are gripped between the first two fingers, the fabric being on top. Thethumb then draws down the large end of the strip, bending the same by the forefinger so as to expose the edge of slit 16. This places the rawcdge of the fabric in admirable position to be worked in the usual way and perfectly protects the finger below the slit, and also effectively separates the two edges of the buttonhole slit. The operator, of course, works the. buttonhole along the exposed edge in the usual way, but the work is much facilitated by the position of the exposed edge over the turned-over flexible strip and the guiding of the needle by contact with said strip to the proper point in the fabric.

In the employment of the method of the above noted application several loops 17 of thread are first laid about the smaller part of the strip protruding through the slit 16 close to the raw edges of said slit, and the strip and fabric are then turned so as to bring them into the position shown in Fig. 5 for Working. The working here proceeds in the same way excepting that the loops 17 are bound in with the thread and form. a strong reinforcement for the buttonhole.

It will be apparent that with the use of this device buttonholes of any size may be Worked vvithequal facility, thatis, the very small buttonholes in extremely fine fabrics may be worked as readily as the larger buttonholcs in coarser fabrics. Furthermore, it is practicable to attach the thread to a given point onthe body of the fabric andcarry a series of 'loopsQO about the strip 10, fasten:

. ingeaclrof said loops to the body of the tonholes comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be inserted through the buttonholeand bent over the forefinger to expose an edge of the buttonhole and protect the forefinger WhllBthB button hole is being T Worked.

article tobeused in-Working buttonholes comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be inserted through the buttonholes and bent over the forefinger to expose an edge of the buttonhole and protect the forefinger While the buttonhole is being .worked, said strip being provided With a tongue of fixed Width and a body portion of progressively-increasing Width.

3.; An article to be used in Working buttonholes comprising a strip of flexible material adapted to be inserted through the buttonhole and bent over theforefinger'to expose an edge of the buttonhole and protect the forefinger While the buttonhole is being 40 Worked, said strip being provided With a tongue of fixed width and a body portion of progressively-i11creasing-Width, and a scale on said strip indicating the different Widths of. buttonhole corresponding to different positions along the strip.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

J OSCELYN J. WOODWARD.

Witnesses F. A. WVHITELEY, H. A. BOWMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedzfor five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

Wash ngton, D. 6., a 

